EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Professor Jackie Curtis

MBBS (Hons), FRANZCP

Prof Jackie Curtis was appointed inaugural Executive Director in April 2020. She is a psychiatrist and was previously the Clinical Director of Youth Mental Health at the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. Her research and clinical work over several decades has focused on early psychosis and youth mental health, including improving the cardiometabolic health of people living with serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia, with the aim of reducing health inequalities and increasing life expectancy. Jackie developed and implemented the internationally recognised Keeping the Body in Mind program, demonstrating that antipsychotic-induced weight gain can be prevented with lifestyle intervention, and is the co-founder and Co-Chair of the iphYs international working group advocating for improved physical health for youth experiencing psychosis. An invited committee member of the World Health Organisation working group for the international guidelines: management of physical health conditions in adults with severe mental disorders, Dr Curtis is also a Conjoint Professor in the School of Psychiatry at UNSW Sydney.

DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS

Kate Bool

Kate is responsible for building a community of supporters who share a passion for improving the lives of people who experience mental health, drug and alcohol, and neurological disorders. With a background in both program delivery and partnership development, Kate has worked in Asia, the UK and Australia, joining Mindgardens in 2022. Her career has spanned the education, social care and international development sectors. Kate is passionate about the power of partnership to fuel ground-breaking research and transform the experience of people who need support. Inspired by the collective capabilities of Mindgardens’ member organisations, Kate is looking forward to forging connections between new and existing partners.

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH LEAD

Dr Hamish Fibbins

PhD

Dr Hamish Fibbins is the Translational Research Lead for Mindgardens, supporting the strategic development of the organisation in addition to the management of projects within the Mindgardens portfolio. His research and clinical work have focused on improving the physical health of people living with mental illness through lifestyle interventions, including exercise, diet, and smoking cessation. Hamish has worked as a mental health exercise physiologist with the Keeping the Body in Mind program and his academic research involves instigating culture change within mental health systems to support the integration of lifestyle interventions.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ian Jones

As Executive Officer, Ian is responsible for the effective management of operations and projects to ensure Mindgardens delivers on its strategic goals. Ian has joined Mindgardens after a 20-year career in the recruitment industry, including most recently as leader of the Talent Acquisition team within the Faculty of Medicine & Health at UNSW. He has previously recruited positions across the Asia Pacific region, for global corporations and Australian based businesses, in sectors including IT, engineering and hospitality. He brings insights from this work in the implementation and management of organisational change.

DIRECTOR OF LIVED EXPERIENCE ENGAGEMENT

Catherine O’Donnell

Catherine is responsible for ensuring the integration of lived experience perspectives in all Mindgardens research, clinical and education work programs. With a degree in adult education and qualifications in counselling, Catherine’s earlier career was in corporate training and human resources management. She brings her own lived experience of mental health challenges to her role, which involves developing the capacity and diversity of consumer representation and engaging with Mindgardens Members to support lived experience inclusion in their work.